Peace and development specialist - Hoofdinhoud

This is a Development Project Funded (DPF) post.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing one of the most difficult constitutional and political crises in the post-war period. Despite the significant international presence and resources invested in the region since the end of the wars in 1995, the political stability in the country has been deteriorating since the failure of the so-called April Package in 2006, which constituted the first comprehensive attempt at reforming the BiH Constitution. An inefficient division of responsibilities between the different levels of authority and complicated decision-making procedures hamper the work of political institutions. The three constituent peoples of BiH are engaged in an often hostile, zero-sum relationship, which seriously hampers the decision-making process and thus blocks crucial reforms which are necessary for European and Euro-Atlantic integration. Whilst there is not a major risk of outright confrontation, continuous inter-ethnic tensions and political instability remain sources of potential instability, economic stagnation and thwarted development.

Thirteen months on, the government formation process at State-level is still pending, leading to institutional deadlock that disenables much of the UN’s development assistance. The prolonged political crisis places great pressure on the State’s ability to manage conflict. Bearing in mind its comparative advantage and expertise, the UN has an important opportunity to foster meaningful dialogue between pivotal national and international actors to engender the requisite confidence for the critical institution-building that is so obviously necessary.

There are a large number of activities and projects ongoing under the purview of the UNCT which have an explicit or implicit contribution to conflict prevention or reconciliation. For example, in many respects, the question of IDPs in BiH continues to reflect the legacy of the 1992-1995 war. By focusing efforts on producing durable solutions for IDPs and concluding the chapter on the return process in BiH, the international community could also significantly contribute to stabilizing the political situation in the country.

The current situation in BiH necessitates a more unified and strategic approach in order to assist the incoming government(s) in overcoming numerous challenges to the stability and functionality of the State of BiH. The international community in general and the EU as a key actor in particular, have often acted in an ad hoc manner in addressing critical issues facing BiH. The recent decision to reinforce the EU-led presence in the country by transferring the EU Special Representative function from the Office of the High Representative and assigning the EU Delegation to BiH with more restrictive authority towards BiH politicians is a step in the right direction.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the UN Resident Coordinator (RC) and overall guidance of the Director Europe Division in the Department of Political Affairs at the United Nations Secretariat, and in close coordination with resident and non-resident agencies, the Peace and Development Advisor will carry out the following tasks:

Provide strategic guidance regarding the enhancement of conflict prevention and confidence-building elements in the current UNCT portfolio, including the integration of conflict-sensitive principles into the work of UNDP and the UNCT, and contribute to the design and implementation of a long-term UN programme on conflict prevention and peace-building;

Provide continuous analysis on political developments and dynamics, human rights and judicial issues, with a particular focus on implications for political stability and sustainable development;

Provide analysis and strategic advice on developing a vision and long-term strategy on the role of the UN system to support dialogue and reconciliation in BiH, taking into account the member of the BiH Presidency’s request, and existing UN programmes, inter alia related to local communities, governance, confidence-building, security, justice, returns, youth and area-based development;

As appropriate, design and conduct capacity-building and training workshops on reconciliation and conflict sensitivity amongst a) Government and civil society at all levels (state, entity, and local); as well as b) amongst UN staff;

Liaise and coordinate with UN HQ (BCPR/UNDP and DPA in particular) on a continuous basis regarding the further development of the overall confidence-building strategy and specific interventions;

Liaise closely with key national, regional, and local stakeholders from Government and civil society and key international actors to identify entry points, foster dialogue and strengthen strategic alliances and partnerships on conflict prevention, reconciliation and confidence-building initiatives;

Perform other related duties as required.

Competencies

Functional/Technical Competencies:

Conflict analysis/assessment tools;

Outstanding knowledge of facilitation/training, process and co-ordination skills;

Extensive experience of providing policy advice (including international report writing);

Developing and delivering experiential conflict resolution/transformation skills-training to different levels of audiences, including training-of-trainers;

Mainstreaming conflict prevention into development programmes;

Democratic governance issues in general and of the linkages with conflict prevention and peace-building in particular;

Strategic foresight, and political acumen in situations involving multiple—especially political—actors and stakeholders;

Ability to engage with sensitivity, strategic foresight, and political acumen in situations involving multiple—especially political—actors and stakeholders;

Facilitating multi-stakeholder national/local dialogues for conflict management;

Experience in inter-agency policy processes.

Managerial Competencies:

Ability to establish effective working relations in a multicultural team environment;

Excellent supervisory, team-building, diplomatic and interpersonal skills;

Resourcefulness, initiative and maturity of judgment;

Strong communications, advocacy and resource mobilization skills.

Behavioral Competencies:

Strong communication and advocacy skills;

Ability to work in a complex environment requiring collaboration with multiple actors;

Ability to demonstrate sensitivity, tact and diplomacy;

Excellent analytical, organizational and negotiation skills, especially resource management systems;

Excellent networking skills.

Corporate Competencies:

Good knowledge of UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies, procedures and practices;

Good understanding of UNDP programming modalities, particularly in crisis and post-conflict settings is an advantage;

Good understanding of the UN system.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced degree in social sciences, with a focus on international relations, political science, development studies, conflict resolution, or equivalent field.

Experience:

Seven years of substantive international experience in the field of conflict prevention, mediation, peace building and conflict sensitive development;

Significant experience in providing political analysis and political advice;

Specific experience in multi-stakeholder facilitation and consensus building, preferably in fragile and conflict situations;

Specific experience in the development of national conflict prevention, reconciliation and confidence-building at national and local levels;

Previous experience in transitional justice and human rights would be an advantage;

Good understanding of UNDP programming modalities and UN political reporting parameter, particularly in conflict, crises and post-conflict settings;

Prior work experience in Bosnia and Herzegovina and/or the Western Balkans highly desirable;

Experience in resource mobilization skills;

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English is required; working knowledge of the local language highly desirable.

Applicants are requested to submit signed Personal History Form (P11).

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UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.